Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.

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Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.

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Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-04-12 15:45:49 - last edited 2020-04-14 10:14:38
Model: Deco P9  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.0.2 Build 20190917 Rel. 71168

@Kevin_Z  Exact same issue as the others in this thread: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/177276. Deco P9 system is running in access point mode. Internet from ISP works #1, all devices wired are working correctly, but the Deco P9 stops detecting internet and wireless devices lose connectivity, but still shows Wifi as up on the device, so all devices are still connected to wifi from Deco and cannot connect to the internet or local network. After few minutes, the internet comes back on the devices. Deco P9 devices are the only one providing WIFI connection inside the local network.


Answers to your questions:
1. The current network diagram. And the operation mode of the Deco.
== Operation Mode: Access Point Mode
== Network topology
===== ISP Modem ------ Ethernet cable ------ FreshTomato Router (WAN Port) (firmware version 2020.02)
===== FreshTomato Router (LAN Port 1) ------ Ethernet cable ------ network switch ------ Ethernet cable  ------ Deco P9-A (main) ------ Powerline ------ Deco P9-B (slave)
===== FreshTomato Router (LAN Port 2) ------ Ethernet cable ------ network switch ------ Ethernet cable  ----- Deco P9-C (slave)
== Note 1: All P9 devices are connected in a socket directly on the wall, no powerbar involved.
== Note 2: 20 devices are connected according to the Deco app.


2. The led status of Deco when it stops working. And whether you can access internet from the modem when Deco stops working. 
== The Deco P9-A (main) is 6 feet away from the devices connected wirelessly (DEV-1, DEV-2).

== When WIFI internet connection is gone, The Deco P9-A, P9-B and P9-C are having a LED which is solid white 
== When WIFI internet connection is gone, the wired devices (DEV-3, DEV-4) are still working perfectly in the network
== When WIFI internet connection is gone, cannot reach local IP addresses as well (ex: router) from device DEV-1
== When WIFI internet connection is gone, disabling the WIFI and enabling it on the device DEV-1 and DEV-2 fixes the problem, it reconnects and internet is back on the device.
== In the Deco app, all P9 devices are showing as online.

== Before my upgrade to the Deco P9, I was using mixed access point and never had this kind of issue.

 

3. Try to swap the location of the Deco units and you can switch the slave Deco to the main Deco to give it a shot. 
https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2400/
== Cannot do the main switch from the Deco application, even if I am connected on the WIFI network of the deco, the option doesn't show in the application when pressing the three dots icon.
== Did not try to physically switch the Deco P9-A and P9-C yet, I will wait for your first investigation result first.

 

4. You can assign a static IP for the clients or reserve an IP address on the Deco app. 
https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1795/
== All wired and wireless clients have static reserved IP addresses using MAC address, including the Deco P9 devices. This is configured in the FreshTomato router.


5. Please ensure that the firmware is up to date.
== Firmware version: 1.0.2 Build 20190917 Rel. 71168, Deco app says it's the latest version. Hardware version: V1 (US)

 

 

Note:

- I don't mind enabling some advanced logging if it helps, if such thing is available.

- Fast roaming is not enabled.

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Re:Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-04-18 18:23:55

@SimonLuck I like almost everyone has the same problem. Absolute joke of a system. Want to hold a work webex, nope will get booted, want to play online games, nope will get booted, want to stream a movie, nope will get booted. It's utterly useless. 
 

did you get anywhere with TP-Link or did you return it? 

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Re:Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-04-27 10:22:22 - last edited 2020-04-27 10:23:01

@TP-Link_Deco  can you please look into this?

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Re:Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-04-28 08:29:44

@SimonLuck 

From your description, it seems that the front router has a very short disconnect problem, which when you search the internet, you may not feel it,  however, it cause the Deco enables the smart DHCP option as it fails to obtain an IP address from the front router.

Smart DHCP is a mechanism that will enable Deco's DHCP server to assign IP addresses temporarily when the front-end router doesn't assign a valid IP address to Deco, so that you can still manage the Deco system although the front-end gateway is dead. Once Deco obtains an IP address, it will disable its own DHCP server immediately.

The wireless device gets an IP address from the Deco's smart DHCP, and do not release the IP address when the internet is back, thus they are unable to go to the internet. However, disable the Wi-Fi and enable it on the client will help the client to release the IP address and obtain a new IP address from the router, and then the client is able to go to the internet.

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Re:Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-04-28 20:20:31

@TP-Link_Deco thank you for the explanation.

 

Could you please explain me how to disable this Smart DHCP feature"? Or maybe at least a way to configure the delay before that Smart DHCP server is started when connectivity is lost (I would configure it to several minutes and not seconds or milliseconds). 

 

I understand that this is probably a feature you added to enable people to configure the Deco from their mobile app, even if the Deco in AP mode is not talking to the router, but maybe the feature is too aggressive at starting the smart DHCP server.

 

However, I am using the Deco as a "dumb" access point, not as router mode, so I don't need to have another DHCP server on my network. For some devices, like a home alarm system or some devices like surveillance cameras, for example, reconnecting the WIFI is not an option without rebooting the device, this gets even more complicated if we are not home when the problem occurs, preventing us from resolving the issue.

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Re:Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-04-29 10:41:14

@SimonLuck 

Hi,

The smart DHCP feature only enabled when Deco works in the AP mode and when the front-end router doesn't assign a valid IP address to Deco, once Deco obtains an IP address, it will disable its own DHCP server immediately. 
Currently, there is no option to disable this feature or configure the delay, but we will keep recording the same kind of request. Then we can forward it to our product engineer and they can work on it. If there are any updates, we will upload it to our official website. It is very suggested to keep an eye on the official website and wait for the updates. 
You can try to configure a static IP address on the client that has an issue to see if it will solve the problem.

Your understanding is highly appreciated!

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Re:Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-04-29 11:33:55

@TP-Link_Deco 

Static IP addresses are already assigned by the DHCP server of my router for all my devices (including the Deco devices), mainly because I do not want to configure each client with a static IP address (and some clients don't support static IP address configuration, like the Deco P9 for example). 

 

I consider the behavior of your Smart DHCP server as a bug that should be addressed, not as a feature request to track and maybe address it. I mean, this is preventing me from using the Deco for it's only purpose, which is getting wireless network access on my devices, so this should forwarded right away to your engineers and be addressed quickly. TPLink is lucky to have a unique product with the P9 which the competitors don't have yet, but it should not be abused.

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Re:Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-04-29 12:43:31

@SimonLuck 

 

there are others that make a powerline mesh now. Devolo, a German company makes one. Think there is another as well. I really want these things to work but they are incredibly unstable. 
 

I now have my ISP router in a static IP mode (can't bridge mode it) and then the deco on the router mode. Have switched of wireless on ISP router and that seems to have improved it, but it's not perfect. It was fine all day yesterday and then around 10pm UK time I got a load of no access to internet across all devices. Was fine again this morning but then had a quick no access to internet fail and now it's behaving again. I don't understand why it is so intermittent as you can't replicate the fault. 

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Re:Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-04-30 10:32:34

@SimonLuck 

Hi 

Our engineer will email you , if you are willing to do further analysis, please check your inbox.                      

Thanks for your cooperation and support.

Good day.

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Re:Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-09-24 13:51:38

Same here, seems like it still keep happening for a lot of people.

 

Main Deco (A) upstairs, AP mode, wired to the ISP's modem/router. Deco (B) is downstairs They are connected via PLC.

 

At least 7 times a week one of the decos stops working. Usually the main one (I've switched them multiple times, no improvement).

When it happens i can only resort to restart either one or both of them.

The symptoms are either no no wifi, no internet or both. 

 

This system is very unstable and unreliable this way - more accurately you can rely on that it will fail :) 

 

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Re:Deco P9 - Internet and local network connection fails, but WIFI still show up.
2020-10-29 09:59:13

@qw3r 

 

Hello, apologies for the super late reply. If you still encounter any disconnect issue with your Deco P9, please confirm the below, and we will try to help you out ASAP:


When the internet drops, how about the LEDs on all the P9s, are all flashing red? What is the distance between the two P9s? Try to relocate the Deco nodes, ensure they can connect to each other without an issue.

Ensure the firmware of all the Deco P9s is up-to-date.

 

Thank you a lot.

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